How to Sew a Scrunchie: Easy Steps and Free Pattern

To sew a scrunchie, sew a fabric strip into a tube, join the ends into a ring, thread elastic through it and close the gap. The Regular size uses a 5 x 23 inch strip of fabric, seam allowance included, and 8 inches of ¼ inch elastic, and a beginner can finish one in about 15 minutes.

TL;DR

The Sewzy Scrunchie is a free beginner pattern that takes about 15 minutes. It comes in two sizes, Regular and Oversized.
Regular uses a 5 x 23 inch strip and 8 inches of ¼ inch elastic. Oversized uses a 7 x 31 inch strip and 9 inches of ¼ inch elastic. Both cut sizes include the seam allowance.
The pattern includes a ⅜ inch (1 cm) seam allowance.
Satin, silk, cotton lawn, linen, velvet and jersey all work, and scraps are fine.
You also need matching thread and a safety pin. The free PDF is on the Scrunchie pattern page.

What do I need to sew a scrunchie?

Fabric: one strip. A scrap left over from another project is enough.
Elastic: ¼ inch wide, cut to the length for your size (see the table below).
Thread: matching thread.
A safety pin: you use it to thread the elastic.
Tools: a sewing machine, scissors and an iron.
The pattern: the free Scrunchie PDF. Print it at 100%. If you have not printed a PDF pattern before, read how to print PDF sewing patterns.

What size is a scrunchie?

The pattern comes in two sizes. Both fit any ponytail. The Oversized scrunchie uses more fabric and gathers deeper.

Size	Finished strip (no seam allowance)	Cut by measurement (seam allowance included)	Elastic, ¼ in wide
Regular	4 x 22 in	5 x 23 in	8 in
Oversized	6 x 30 in	7 x 31 in	9 in

Print the pattern in your size and cut around the piece. The cutting line already includes the ⅜ inch seam allowance, so you do not add any. No printer? Cut a strip by measurement instead: 5 x 23 inches for Regular or 7 x 31 inches for Oversized. That is the finished strip plus the seam allowance, rounded up to a whole inch.

How do I sew a scrunchie, step by step?

These steps follow the five stages of the Sewzy Scrunchie pattern: Cut, Tube, Join the ends, Elastic and Close. Both fabric seams use the ⅜ inch seam allowance. Right sides together means the sides that will show face each other.

Cutting by measurement instead of printing? Skip steps 2 and 3 and cut one strip 5 x 23 inches (Regular) or 7 x 31 inches (Oversized).

Wash and dry washable fabric before you cut it. Press satin and silk on low heat, and press velvet lightly from the wrong side.
Print the pattern in your size and cut out the pattern piece.
Fold your fabric, place the short edge of the piece on the fold and cut 1 strip.
Cut the elastic to length: 8 inches for Regular, 9 inches for Oversized.
Fold the strip in half lengthwise, right sides together.
Stitch the long edge with a ⅜ inch seam. Leave the 1½ inch gap open where the pattern marks it, and backstitch on both sides of the gap. Do not turn the tube yet.
Reach into the tube, take one end and pull it through the inside until its raw edge meets the raw edge at the other end. The right sides now face each other. Match the long seams so the tube is not twisted, then stitch ⅜ inch from the raw edges all the way around to make a ring. The ring is small, so use your machine's free arm, or sew this seam by hand with a small backstitch.
Press the seam open, or finger-press it if the ring is too small for the iron.
Reach through the gap and turn the ring right side out. Press it.
Pin the safety pin to one end of the elastic and feed it through the gap, all the way around the ring. Hold the other end so it does not slip inside.
Overlap the elastic ends by ½ inch and stitch a square over the overlap. Slide the join inside the tube so it does not show.
Fold the edges of the gap in and close it. Topstitch it by machine or slipstitch it by hand. Fluff the gathers.

What fabric works best for a scrunchie?

The pattern lists satin, silk, cotton lawn, linen, velvet and jersey. Scraps from other projects work well, so this is a good way to use up leftovers: see scrap fabric projects for more ideas. For a first scrunchie, cotton lawn is the easiest, because it does not slip or stretch. Match your needle and thread to the fabric you choose: the needle and thread guide can help.

With jersey or stretch velvet, cut the strip across the width of the fabric. That gives you the most stretch.

Tips for a neat scrunchie

Sew a few at once in different fabrics. A set of three makes a quick gift.
For a firmer hold, use ½ inch elastic, cut to the same length.
Keep the elastic join flat and square so it does not make a lump.

Make it with Sewzy

The Scrunchie is one of the 13 free patterns in Sewzy. It is a beginner pattern of about 15 minutes in Regular and Oversized, with a written step-by-step guide. Every Sewzy pattern includes a letter-size PDF for your home printer and an A0 file for a copy shop. You can get the free PDF in the app, or download it on the Scrunchie pattern page by entering your email.

For your next make, see the free sewing patterns or easy sewing projects for beginners. Sewzy has 76 patterns in all, with a size finder and an AI sewing coach for questions. Premium opens all 76 for $3.99 a week or $29.99 a year, with a 3-day free trial. Sewzy is made for iPhone. Get Sewzy on the App Store.

FAQ

How much fabric do I need for a scrunchie?

Cut one strip 5 x 23 inches for the Regular size or 7 x 31 inches for the Oversized size. Both sizes include the ⅜ inch seam allowance, and a scrap is enough.

How long should the elastic be for a scrunchie?

For the Sewzy Scrunchie, cut ¼ inch elastic 8 inches long for Regular and 9 inches long for Oversized. For a firmer hold, you can use ½ inch elastic cut to the same length.

What is the best fabric for a scrunchie?

Satin, silk, cotton lawn, linen, velvet and jersey all work, and scraps are fine. Cut velvet and jersey across the width of the fabric for the most stretch.